The Shallows

Come Fingers to Fins with Rays in The Shallows!

Experience The Shallows and touch rays at your fingertips.The first of its kind in the region, this exhibit enables you to reach out and feel the skin of cownose rays and southern stingrays.

Overlooking the Charleston Harbor from the Riverside Terrace, The Shallows is one of the largest enhancements to the guest experience since the Aquarium opened its doors in 2000. The exhibit’s impressive 20,000-gallon touch tank features a deep area where the animals can swim uninterrupted and a shallow area where guests can discover how rays feel.

Sponsored in part by The Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, MWV, Peninsula Grill and Hank’s Seafood Restaurant.

Ambassadors for Conservation

The rays that inhabit The Shallows are ambassadors for their species, teaching visitors about the protection of rays in the wild. Once you get the chance to touch these rays, you too may feel the call to advocate for the conservation of these and other ocean creatures.